PPFA Demands Documents

NEW YORK, NY — Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) today issued the following statement from PPFA Interim President Karen Pearl demanding the Bush Administration release documents on the work of Supreme Court chief justice nominee John Roberts.

"President Bush has nominated John Roberts to the most important judgeship in the country — chief justice of the Supreme Court. Yet the White House still refuses to disclose documents from the most important job Judge Roberts held as a lawyer — principal deputy solicitor general.

"We demand that the White House release all documents related to John Roberts' service in the government. Both Republican and Democratic senators must be able to carefully review the totality of his record before reaching a decision on his nomination. He cannot be confirmed without the Senate's full access to his records, especially on important matters such as women's health and safety and Americans' privacy rights.

"There is precedent for this release. In 1986, when the late Chief Justice Rehnquist was nominated for chief justice, the Senate Judiciary Committee received access to additional documents dating from his service as head of the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel.

"The next Supreme Court chief justice will set the direction of the entire federal court system for decades to come. The stakes are high, and Americans deserve a thorough and well-informed debate during the upcoming hearings. Failure to provide Roberts' entire record raises serious concerns that the White House is hiding information from the Senate and the American people."